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025-16 AU 291 Ex (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 B. A. STEVENS.

TELEPHONE BOX OR CABINET.

No. 445,721. Patented Feb. 3, 1891.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

B. A. STEVENS.

TELEPHONE BOX 0R CABINET.

No. 445,721. Patented Feb. 3,1891.

I w 5522K UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

TELEPHONE BOX OR CABINET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 445,721, dated February3, 1891.

Application filed May 26,1890 Serial No. 353,206. "No model.

tlhio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in a TelephoneINJX or Cabinet; and I do hereby declare that the follow-.

ing is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which willenable others skilled in the art to which it apperlains to make and usethe same, reference being had to the accompan vingdrawings, and tothelctters ofreference marked thereon, which form part ol. thisspecification.

This invention relates to a teh-phone box or cabinet.

Ilcretofore it has been customary in business establislnnents to havethe telephone located either in the private otlice or in an outer roomwhere ready access can be had to it: by any of the emploves. it has beenfound in practice that the former arrangement. is objectionable, for thereason that its use would disturb those occupying, that room, and thelatter for the reason that messages of a private character cannot besent without making the same known to all present in the room in whichthe instrument; was located.

It is the object: of this invention to overcome these obstacles byproducing a telephone box or cabinet which shall he of such constructionthat while the alarm will be plainly audible, the message sent; will beinatulibleto those in the room in which the cabinet is located.

A further object is to prod uee a knock ism connecting with the slidesto cause them to close the said vents, and thus prevent the sound fromleaving the cabinet when the instrument is used.

The invention still further consists in pro viding a casing with aseries o1 sound-vents and mechanism for opening and closing the same,and also with a non-resonant ceiling or partition having an ainvent,whereby the oecupant ot' the cabinet will be supplied with airwithoutleaviire'the doorol the easingaiar for that purpose.

The invention still further consists in providing means for insulatingthe cabinet from the floor.

The invention linallyconsists in the various novel details ofconstruction of a telephone box or cabinet, as will be hereinafter fullydescribed in the specification, illustrated in the drawings, and morepi'irticnlarlv pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings. forming part of this specification, and inwhich like numerals of reference indicate correspondine parts, I haveillustrated one form of cabinet embodying the essential features ol. myinvention, although the same may be carried into effect in other wayswithout in the least departing from thespirit thereof, and in thesedrawings- Figure lisa perspective viewol' the complete cabinet, showingit as it appears when ready for use. Fig. 3 is a similar view with thedoor and one side removed, Showing the internal 1 construction of thedevice; and Fig. is a further object is to produce a telephone box orcabinet which shall be simple lf eonstrnction, ellicient and durable inuse, and comparativel inexpensive of production.

With these objects in view the invention consists in providim, asuitable casing containing a telephone with a series of normallyopensound-vents and means whercb ithe said vents are closed when thetelephone is in use.

The invention further consists in providimg, a casing containing atelephone with a series of normally-open sound-vents, slides havingopenings adapted normally to register with the sound-vents in thecasing, and mechanvertical sectional view Sll(l\\'ill more partied larlythe arrangement of the slides foreovering the sound-vents.

Hcl'crrinf; to the drawings. l and desig natc the sides ot' the cabinet:i, the back: the front, which in this instance forms the door, and 5 thetop. 'lhe sides, back, and top are secured together by screws t; orother equivalent form of fastening, device which will admit of beingremoved [or the purpose of taking the cabinet to pieces when desired.

\Vithin the cabinet, and preferably to the back thereof, is secured thetelephone 7, and at a point adjacent thereto, and preferably in thesides 1 and :?,are tormeda series of sound vents 8, through which thealarm from the telephone may be heard. 'lhe sound-vents are rinsed andopened Irv means ot twoaper l lured slides whit-h are h ld in plaee up nthe sides of the t-altlnet lrv pins or bolts which engage lots ll formedin the said slides. The apertures l'. in these slides nor t|l;tllregister with the aperture in the sides,as shown in l-"ie. 2 and inorder todrau the slides over the apertures in the sides so i as to closethe same, a shalt 1 is provided, which i iournaled near the bottom ofthe eabinet, and carries two eranks lt, to \t'ltltlt i are connected tworods 15:, seeured one toeach ot' the slides, and a l'oot-pieee I F rpartially rotating the said shat't.

At a point adjacent to the telephone is arranged a shelf l7,whiehservesasa desk upon i which writing may be done or as a support forthe elbow ot' the operator, and upon each of the rods 15 is rigidlysecured a collar lo, l between which and the said sheltare mottntedsprings to, the normal lttttletlt) of which is to keep the apertures inthe sides and slides t in line.

llaviugthus fully described my device, I will explain the manner of its0])Olttll0ll. When the alarm t'rom the telephone sounds, the operatoropens the door t, which is kept normally closed by means ot' a weight itor its equivalent, amt steps upon the foot-piece 113, thus partiallyrotating: the shal't 113, and through the rods 1-3 drawing down theslides and closing tlte soundvents, light being admitted to theinteriorot theeabinetb means of panes of glass it, which are set inthesides and door of the same. While the operator is taking the messageair is supplied to him through an opening 2; in the top and through anopening 2-) in a non-resonant.partition it, the function of which is todeaden the sound and prevent what is being spoken within the cabinetfrom being heard bythose t without. As soonasthe operator-hastinished jhe steps oil the foot-piece 1U, when the slides, through the agency ofthe springs il will be caused to resume their normal position, amtthusopen the sound-vents. As there is al- \'s more or less dangerattending the use 1 ol' telepltom-s during thtttult-t'st('n-|1ts, an insulator .5 is employed, \vltieh will thusbreah eommunieation between theoperator and the tloor ol' the building. 'lhe insulator may he ol' anysuitable material and made in the Form oi a base. as shown; or, itdesired, the easin; |na v be elevated upon legs made of a like material.

i would have it distinetlv understood that i do not limit myself to theexact construe tion claimed herein, but may vary therefrom in carryingmy invention into effect.

Having; thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure h Letters Patent, is

.t. In a telephone box or cabinet having a series of sound-vents,devices for normally holding the vents open, and mechanism aetu ated inthe use of the cabinet for closing the vents.

2. A telephone box or cabinet having a se ries of normally-opensound-vents, slides having openings adapted normally to register withthe said sound-vents, and mechanism connecting with the said slides tocause them to open or close the said vents.

I). In a telephone box or cabinet having a series of sound-vents and a.non-resonant ceiling provided with an air-vent, devices for normallyholding the sot1nd-vents open, and mechanism actuated in the use of thecabinet for closing said vents.

t. In a telephone box or cabinet having a series of sound-vents, anon-resonant ceiling: or partition, and an insulated base or supportdevices for normalhv holding the sound-vents open, and mechanismactuated in the use ot the cabinet for closing said vents.

in testimorrv that I claim the foregoing as my own I hereby atlixmysignature in pres enee of two witnesses.

BENJAMIN STEVENS.

Witnesses:

R. M. Etmto'rr, t. A. K BEN.

